Yarn feeding and controlling means for knitting machines



Jan. 10, 1961 A. T. 0. JACKSON ETAL 2,967,413

YARN FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 16, 1958 v 4 Sheets-Sheet l 52 40\ A4 A 2 f 54 41 Q... l..." Q

Swq 44/ A Tom H6 Jan. 10, 1961 A. T. D. JACKSON ETAL 2,967,413

YARN FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5) gm "(a Arroe/vb Jan. 10, 1961 A. T. D. JACKSON ETAL 2,967,413

YARN FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MEANS EOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent YARN FEEDING AND CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Arthur T. D. Jackson and Ernest L. Farmer, Leicester, England, assignors to Mellar Bromley & Co. Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Filed Dec. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 780,862

Claims priority, application Great Britain Dec. 23, 1957 11 Claims. (Cl. 66-132) This invention relates to yarn feeding and controlling means for multi-feeder knitting machines, and has for its primary object to provide such means of improved construction and arrangement and which are readily adjustable to vary the speeds of, and exercise strict and individual control over, yarns being fed to separate feeders, according to the respective knitting requirements of these feeders, as will be hereinafter described.

The term yarn used in this specification is intended to cover a yarn or thread of any appropriate character.

Moreover, the term feeder as herein employed means not only a thread guiding element or a feeder plate or the like through which a yarn from a separate supply is fed to needles at a knitting location, but also the cam system, including the clearing and stitch cams, at that location for causing the needles to miss, tuck or knit, according to requirements.

Although the invention is primarily intended for application to circular knitting machines and, in particular, to comparatively large diameter body machines of the cylinder and dial type equipped with a large number of feeders, there is no limitation in this respect.

According to this invention there is provided a multifeeder knitting machine equipped with a plurality of selfcontained yarn feeding and controlling units, one to each of the separate feeders, the said units each comprising, in combination, a rotary yarn feeding wheel driveable to a uniform speed from a driving source on the machine common to all of such units and having a cylindrical yarn-supporting periphery covered with a slip-resisting material which exercises a degree of grip on a yarn fed by the wheel and yet is of such a nature as to give to an extent sufficient to prevent a broken yarn from wrapping around the said wheel, and means whereby the speed of rotation of the latter, related to the speed of the knitting machine, can be individually varied to preciseness, independently of the speeds of the other yarn feeding wheels, according to knitting requirements at the corresponding feeder.

That is to say, although all of the yarn feed wheels are simultaneously driven from a common source, means individual to the respective yarn feeding and controlling units are available for effecting separate adjustments of the rotational speeds of the said wheels whereby the yarns fed by the latter can be individually controlled.

Each yarn feeding and controlling unit includes, for the guidance of at least one yarn to be fed to needles at the corresponding feeder, fixed yarn guiding means so arranged relatively to the feed wheel that the running v the positive character of the feed there is no slippage of a yarn on its feed wheel, and it is found, in practice,

N that it is best not to provide any means for automatically ments.

ice

varying the linear speeds of the yarns in order to compensate for variations in the tension thereof. It is by virtue of these circumstances that the bodies of the feed wheels are cylindrical and not tapered in any way. Accordingly, the individual self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units of this invention are to this extent distinguished from known feeding and controlling units comprising truncated conical feed Wheels upon which yarns are permitted to slip and along which they are automatically shifted by compensating means in accordance with tension variations.

In short, the invention provides the possibility, in a multi-feeder knitting machine, of exercising strict individual control over the linear speed of a yarn fed positively to each feeder of the machine, according to the work in hand at that feeder. Thus, for example, if at some feeders the needles are required to clear and .knit and at others to tuck, then the speeds of the yarns'fed to the different feeders will have to be slightly different. The means included in this invention enable the speeds of rotation of the different feed wheels to be differentially set finely in a precise manner notwithstanding the fact that all of the wheels are uniformly driven simultaneously from a common driving source.

It is to be clearly understood that although, in the ordinary way, there would only be one yarn per feed wheel and corresponding feeder, two yarns may, if desired, be simultaneously fed by one and the same wheel, e.g. for knitting together at the feeder in plating relation. 1

It is the intention that each yarn shall normally be lapped around half or a little more of the circumference of the relevant feed Wheel. By the provision of suitable yarn guiding means for each feeding and controlling unit, however, the extent of this lap may be varied. Such a variation in the circumferential extent of the contact of a yarn with its feed wheel results in the yarn being driven more or less powerfully, according to require- In this way any slackness, or excessive tension, in a running yarn can be obviated.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the feed wheels may be so disposed on the multi-feeder knitting machine that the outer sides of the wheels are in a vertical plane or planes facing the machine attendant, thereby facilitating the lapping of the yarns around the wheels during initial threading up.

In a convenient embodiment of the invention, the feed wheel of each individual yarn feeding and controlling unit is secured upon a spindle which is fitted with a friction disc having a plane face, and there is provided for contact with the plane faces of the friction discs of all of the units a common endless friction driving member which is adapted to be unidirectionally driven by or from any appropriate part of the multi-feeder knitting machine. The driving member is driven at a uniform speed, and, in this embodiment, means of any suitable character are provided for effecting individual adjustments of the spindles of the units, and hence also the friction discs, relatively to the friction driving member. in this way the radial distance between the axis of any one of the friction discs and the point of contact of such disc with the common driving member can be readily varied. Consequently, by setting any one friction disc with its axis nearer to the driving member, the rotational speed of the corresponding feed wheel will be increased, and vice versa.

A still further feature of the invention resides in mounting the self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units in brackets constituting separate sectional parts of a complete carrier component which parts can be readily bolted in position in adjoining relation upon a support forming part of the machine. in this way the means of this invention are easy to assemble, and sectional parts i can be readily taken out for servicing and replaced by others as occasion may demand.

Preferably, provision is also made whereby, in addition to the possibility of varying the speeds of rotation of the feed wheels individually, the speeds of the speed wheels can at desired times be collectively adjusted, i.e. all simultaneously to the same extent, through the medium of a common adjusting component, for the purpose of producing slacker or tighter knitting, as may be required.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a specific constructional arrangement of the improved yarn feeding and controlling means applied to a multi-feeder circular knitting machine of the cylinder and dial type will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of such a knitting machine showing an assemblage of self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units mounted in brackets constituting sectional parts of a carrier ring,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the complete carrier ring with portions thereof broken away to disclose a common adjusting ring whereby all of the feed wheels can be collectively adjustable heightwise,

Figure 3 is an outside elevation of one of the complete brackets or carrier ring sections carrying two of the yarn feeding and controlling units,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the same bracket with a portion thereof broken away to show one of the two yarn feeding wheels mounted therein,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a yarn feeding and controlling unit taken on the line VV of Figure 3 and, in addition shows the support upon which the bracket or carrier ring sectIon is bolted, and

Figure 6 is an inside elevation of the bracket depicted in Figures 3 and 4 and illustrates, on the left, certain of the details of one of the yarn feeding and controlling units, and, on the right, parts of one of the electrical stop motion devices combined with such units.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the circular rib knitting machine therein diagrammatically represented includes a needle cylinder 2, surrounded by a cylindrical cam box or shell 3 and an associated needle dial 4 surrounded by a dial cam cap 5. The main framework of the machine is indicated at 6 and the superstructure at 7. Included in this superstructure is a fixed annular guard 8 which surrounds and serves to cover in the top, i.e. dial, driving gear 9 (see Figure 5) of the machine. The said superstructure also incorporates and supports a yarn package carrier ring 10. Two of the main yarn packages are indicated at 11, whilst corresponding combined yarn gu'des and latch guards at the relevant feeders are represented at 12.

In accordance with this invention, the machine is equipped with a plurality of self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units, one to each feeder, these units being designated generally by the letter A and each ineluding a rotary yarn feed wheel 13. The said units are mounted in brackets 14 of arcuate form constituting separate sections of a complete carrier ring B (see Figure 2). For simplicity each of these brackets or carrier ring sections 14 has mounted therein two of the units A. The separate sections 14 of this ring B, which latter, as clearly shown in Figure 5, is of mainly channel shape in radial cross section, are attached, by means of screws to the fixed annular guard 8. As will be appreciated, this guard forms a part of the super-structure 7. To facilitate the attachment of the carrier ring sections 14 to the fixed annular top gear guard 8, the latter is, as shown in Figure 5, formed with an upstanding annular rib 8a against the outer surface of which arcuate flanges 14a depending from the said sections are arranged to bear. The carrier ring sections 14 may advantageously be cast in aluminium. The securing screws 15 are passed through radial holes formed in the depending flanges 14a and are screwed into aligned tapped holes in the upstanding annular rib 8a on the fixed guard 8. Thus, any one of the abutting carrier ring sections 14 can be readly removed and replaced as required.

The metal feed wheel 13 of each yarn feeding and controlling unit A is centrally bossed at 13a (Figure 5) and includes an operative cylindrical portion 13b of comparatively short dimension arranged between a pair of spaced flanges 13c and 13d. The cylindrical portion 13b of each wheel 13 about which a yarn Y (or yarns) is or are to be lapped is embraced and wholly covered by a uniformly thick strip or band 16 of a silicone elastomer. Thus, a material suitable for covering the porton 13b of the wheel is one comprising a base tape coated with a silicone elastomer. An example of such a material found to be eminently satisfactory for the intended purpose is that known as and sold under the registered trademark Symel; this particular material is described by the manufacturers as a silicone elastomer coated glass tape." Although such material exercises the required degree of grip on a yarn, such as that indicated at Y, a covering of this particular material is nevertheless of such a nature as to give to an extent suflicient to prevent a broken yarn from wrapping around the feed wheel.

The bored boss 13a of each feed wheel 13 is rigidly secured, by means of a screw 17 and an associated rounded washer 18, upon the outer end of a horizontally disposed spindle 19 which is mounted for rotation freely within roller bearings 20 housed in a bored bearing block 21. As will be seen in Figure 5, the spindle 19 is flanged at 19a and an axially extending pin 22 set in this flange and engaged in a hole in the boss 13a serves to prevent relative turning movement between the wheel and the spindle. The outer end of the roller-accommodating bore in the block 21 is closed by a flanged sleeve 23 through which the spindle 19 extends. The inner surface of the sleeve 23 has formed therein annular oil-retaining grooves and upon the exterior of the said sleeve is secured a cup-shaped guard 23' which embraces the central boss 13a of the feed wheel 13 and functions to prevent a yarn end from becoming inadvertently wound around the revolving spindle 19 and caught up into the mechanism. The inner end of the bearing block 21 is counterbored at 21a to receive an axial thrust bearing comprising a pair of discs 24 through Which the inner end of the spindle 19 extends and an interposed circular series of balls 25. Rigidly secured upon the inner end of the horizontally disposed spindle 19 is a centrally bossed metal carrier disc 26 (Figure 5) which is peripherally flanged at 26a to receive a friction disc 27. The diameter of the operative outer face of th's friction disc 27 is the same as the diameter of the carrier disc 26. Although it presents a plane and smooth surface, the friction disc is nevertheless made of a material capable of engendering the necessary degree of friction. Such material may, for instance, consist of the plastic product known under the name Prescolin. Arranged to surround the central boss 26b of the metal carrier disc 26 is a compression spring 28 which is interposed between the back of the latter and the opposed disc 24 of the aforementioned axial thrust bearing. The spring 28 normally urges the friction disc 27 in a radially inward direction, i.e. towards the central axis of the knitting machine. Thus, the friction disc 27 can be pressed back yieldingly against the action of the compression spring 28. The upright wall 14b of each arcaute carrier ring section 14 has formed therein two comparatively wide vertical apertures 29 each to accommodate the outer portion of the relevant bearing block 21 and to permit of the latter being freely moved -up and down when adjusting the position of the friction disc '27 heightwise (see Figures and 6). Upon the outer face of the upright wall 14b of the ring section, however, are attached, e.g. by means of screws, relative- .-ly thin steel plates 30 which completely cover the apertures 29 in the wall and are themselves apertured at 30a. But, as depicted in Figure 6, the aperture 30a in each of the steel plates 30 is smaller and, in particular, substantially narrower than the corresponding aperture 29 in the upright wall 1411, being, in fact, just wide enough to receive the inner portion of the guard 23 embracing the oil-retaining sleeve 23. One side of the inner portion of the bearing block 21, clear of the rolleraccommodating bore 31 therein, is drilled vertically and suitably tapped at 32 (see Figure 6) to receive a vertical screw-threaded rod 33 whereby the said block, and hence also the corresponding feed wheel 13 and the associated friction disc 27, are adjusted up and down. A lower plain portion 33a of each adjusting rod or screw 33 is mounted to turn within a flanged bearing bush 34 which, as shown in Figure 5, is set in a lower horizontal flange 14c directed inwardly from the back of the upright wall 140 of the appropriate arcuate carrier ring section 14.

An upper plain portion 33b of each adjusting rod or screw 33 extends through a sleeve 35 which although free to slide up and down axially to a limited extent relatively to the said rod or screw is nevertheless keyed to the latter in a rotational sense. In this regard it will be noted that the sleeve 35 is connected to the rod or screw 33 by a pin-and-slot connection 36, 37 (Figure 5). The sleeve 35 in turn extends through a flanged bearing bush 38 set in an inwardly directed upper horizontal flange 14d of the arcuate carrier ring section 14.

The upper extremity of the adjusting rod or screw 33 extends above the upper horizontal flange 14d.

In turn, the corresponding extremity of the sleeve 35 extends above the rod or screw 33 and has rigidly secured there to, by means of a pin 39, a knurled operating knob 40. This knob has spaced radial holes formed in its periphery for engagement selectively by a tommy bar by means of which the knob is turned. Also secured upon the sleeve 35, immediately below the knob 40, is a bevelled collar 41 which is suitably calibrated to facilitate fine heightwise adjustments of the bearing block 21. To ensure that rotation of the adjusting rod or screw 33 shall effect the required heightwise adjustments of the said block, however, it is, of course, essential that the rod or screw shall be positively prevented from any movement axially. To this end each rod or screw has rigidly secured thereon, by means of a pin 42, a further collar 43 which is disposed below the corresponding sleeve 35 and has formed in its lower portion a circumferential groove 43a adapted to accommodate a protuberant inwardly directed portion 44a of a fixed supporting element 44. As will be seen in each of Figures 5 and 6, this supporting element is of inverted L-shape and is rigidly attached by a screw to a lug 14a formed integrally upon the inner face of the upright arcuate wall 14b of the relevant carrier ring section 14. The top surface of the upper portion of the collar 43 is fiat and thereby adapted to support the sleeve 35 in its normal position shown in Figure 5. At its lower extremity each of such sleeves 35 has integrally formed thereon a small toothed wheel or spur pinion 45, and it is the underside of the latter which normally rests on top of the collar 43. When so resting upon the collars 43 all of the spur pinions 45 of the circular series are arranged in mesh with a horizontally disposed toothed ring 46 common to them all. This ring is concentric with respect to the axis of the knitting machine and is in part supported upon the collars 43. The construction and arrangement are accordingly such that whenever it is desired to individually adjust the heightwise position of any one of the bearing blocks 21 and all that it carries, the relevant operating knob 40 is first taken between the thumb and fingers and raised to slide the sleeve 35 axially up along the associated rod or screw 33 and so lift the corresponding spur pinion 45 out of mesh with the toothed ring 46. The knob 40 is then turned in the required direction and to the extent necessary, with the guidance of the callbrations on the bevelled collar 41, as a consequenceof which this turning motion will be transmitted to the adjusting rod or screw 33 through the medium of the sleeve 35. Finally, this sleeve will be permitted to slide down again into its original position to elfect re-engagement of teeth of the spur pinion 45 with teeth on the toothed ring 46. This re-engagement of the intermeshing teeth holds the adjusting rod or screw 35 against easy turning and hence sets the corresponding bearing block 21 in its adjusted position. The ring 46 thus presents teeth which, during adjustments of the bearing blocks 21 individually, function as fixed locking detents co-operable with the spur pinions 45 to lock the said blocks in any positions to which they are so adjusted heightwise.

But since the common toothed ring 46 is turnable about the axis of the machine, the sad ring can also be used as a common adjusting member to elfect collective adjustment of all of the bearing blocks 21 simultaneously for the purpose of producing slacker or tighter knitting. Thus, to effect such collective adjustment of the blocks 21, the ring 46 is turned in the desired direction to the extent required by turning any one of the knurled operating knobs 40 without first lifting the corresponding sleeve 35.

To facilitate both individual and collective adjustments of the bearing blocks 21, the numbered calibrations on the bevelled collars 41 are equally spaced apart to correspond with the pitch of the teeth on the pinio 45 and the ring 46. t

The bearing block 21 of each self-contained yarn feeding and controlling unit A may be of a type which can be initially packed with grease so that it will not require any subsequent attention and is to all practical intents and purposes self-lubricating. But in the illustrated example, the roller bearings 20 are lubricated through the medium of an extensible oil conduit 47 (see Figure 6) which extends right from a small oilreceiving cup 48 (Figure 4) fitted in the upper flange 14a of the relevant carrier ring section 14 down into an oiling nipple 49 fitted on the bearing block 21 as seen in Figures 5 and 6. If, as shown, the conduit 47 down which oil can trickle is in the form of a light tension spring with closely set convolutions, then the conduit will be permitted readily to expand or contract as may be required during a heightwise adjustment of the bearing block 21.

The upper portion of each arcuate carrier ring sec tion 14 is nicely rounded and formed with an outwardly directed flange 14 wh.ch is drilled at appropriate 10- cations to receive a pair of porcelain pot eyes 50 through which the yarns Y lapped around the two feed wheels 13 associated with that section can be threaded. There may if desired be two or more spaced pairs of pot eyes to each feed wheel, these eyes being used selectively according to the extent to which it is intended that a yarn shall be lapped around the said wheel.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that each yarn Y from a yarn package 11 extends first upwardly, then over a hook-shaped support 51 at the top of the superstructure 7, next downwards through one of the pot eyes 50 of a pair, then around and beneath the relevant feed wheel 13, next upwardly through the other pot eye of the pair, from thence upwardly and outwardly through an eye 52 secured beneath the yarn package carrier ring 10 and finally downwards and inwardly to the yarn guide 12 at the appropriate feeder. 1

When all of the arcuate carrier ring sections 14 at secured in position, the faces of the friction discs 27 bear yieldingly against an operative outwardly protuberant an nular rib 53a formed on a commtn friction driving wheel 53 which is co-axial with, and secured by screws to, the top driving gear 9 of the machine. Consequently, by effecting a heightwise adjustment of any one of the bearing blocks 21, the corresponding friction disc 27 will be radially adjusted with respect to the rib 53a of the common friction driving wheel 53 for the purpose of varying the speed of rotation of the relevant feed wheel 13 and hence also the linear speed of the corresponding yarn Y.

Each of the individual yarn feeding and controlling units A, moreover, preferably has combined with it a conventional pivoted dropper element 54 with which a yarn Y lapped around the feed wheel 13 can be engaged, this dropper being suitably wired into an electrical circuit (a portion of which is indicated at 55 in Figure 6) and being adapted, upon a breakage of the yarn or in the event of the yarn running out, to drop and so complete the circuit to initiate automatic stoppage of the machine. A component 56 carrying such a dropper 54 is at least partially housed within an opening formed in the upright wall 14b of the relevant carrier ring section 14, and the lower inwardly directed flange 140 of the latter serves to support a depending spring-influenced terminal 57 of plunger form the lower end of which, when the appropriate carrier ring section is secured in position, impinges and presses firmly against a bus ring 58 housed in an annular groove 59 (Figure formed in the fixed guard 8 covering the top driving gear 9. Each dropper 54 is of the cranked form shown in Figure 4 and has a horizontal limb 54a to be normally engaged by the relevant yarn, this engagement holding the dropper up. The inner end of the said dropper is helically wound on, and thereby rigidly secured to the outer end of a short spindle mounted to turn freely within the component 56. The inner end of this spindle is fitted with a contact (not shown) adapted, when the dropper 54 falls in the aforementioned circumstances, to swing in an arc to engage a fixed contact located within the component 56. The said fixed contact is connected, by a wire 55, with the terminal 57. Whenever the machine is in operation the bus ring 58 will be connected with the positive of a source of electrical current. The dropper 54 and its contact, on the other hand, are connected to earth. Consequently, whenever the machine is running normally the two contacts will be kept separated so that the stop motion circuit is open. But when the dropper 54 falls, in an emergency, the said circuit will be closed to energise a relay and so electrically operate mechanism of any suitable form whereby stoppage of the machine is effected.

From a consideration of Figure 5, it will be appreciated that the back of each of the feed wheels 13 is open. Within the open annular space between the central boss 13a and the cylindrical portion 13b of each such wheel are fitted a few blades or vanes 60 designed to create, as the wheel revolves, streams of air which assist in the dissipation of fluff or lint.

With a large body machine furnished with as many as thirty-six feeders and friction discs of, say, 2%" diameter, it is possible by means of this invention to precisely control the linear speed of any yarn individually between a top speed of approximately 860 feet per minute and a bottom speed of about 250 feet per minute.

It is an important advantage of the invention, moreover, what with the aid of a speed meter, any desired yarn can be caused to run at precisely the speed required by applying the meter to the yarn and then observing the meter whilst the relevant adjusting knob 40 is turned in the required direction.

The units are of simple and robust construction, and easy to assemble upon a knitting machine and to thread up.

The invention includes, within its scope, not only a multi-feeder knitting machine equipped with a series of the individual yarn feeding and controlling units as herein described, but also a unitary assemblage comprising 8 one or a pair of such units for sale separately fdr'attachment to a machine.

We claim:

1. In a multi-feeder circular knitting machine, in combination, a needle cylinder, a co-operating needle dial, a gear for driving said dial, a superstructure above the dial and including a support ring for a plurality ofyarn packages, a multiplicity of feeder stations at which yarn guides feed to the cylinder and dial yarns drawn from the packages, a plurality of self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units, one to each feeder station, each of said units including a rotary yarn feed wheel having a cylindrical yarn-supporting periphery covered with a slipresisting material of a nature which exercises a. grip on a yarn fed by the wheel to the relevant yarn guide and yet acts to prevent a loose end of such yarn from wrapping around said wheel, a fixed annular guard covering the dial driving gear, a carrier ring serving to carry the aforesaid yarn feeding and controlling units, the said ing being attached to said fixed annular guard and consisting of a circular series of separate and individually removable adjoining arcuate sections, each principally of channel shape in radial cross section with spaced upper and lower flanges which extend horizontally inwards from an upright wall in which is formed at least one vertical aperture, rotary spindles upon which the yarn feed wheels are secured, bored bearing blocks in which said spindles are mounted for rotation, the outer ends of such blocks being located in the vertical apertures in the arcuate carrier ring sections and portions of the blocks clear of the bores having formed therein vertical tapped holes, friction discs secured on the said spindles, a common friction driving ring which is attached to and revolves together with the dial driving gear in contact with the surfaces of the friction discs whereby all of the yarn feed wheels are simultaneously driven, and manually rotatable but axially immovable screws which are engaged in the vertical tapped holes in the aforesaid bearing blocks and extend through bearings in the horizontal flanges of the arcuate carrier ring sections whereby, upon individual rotation of any one of the said screws, the associated bearing block and hence also the corresponding friction disc can be adjusted up and down to vary the radial distance between the axis of the said disc and the point of contact thereof with the common driving ring, for the purpose described.

2. In a multi-feeder circular knitting machine, a combination according to claim 1, wherein the upper flange of each arcuate carrier ring section has formed therein spaced holes in which are secured yarn guiding eyes so relatively arranged to a feed wheel carried by the section that a running yarn threaded through the said eyes extends partially around the said wheel en route from a yarn package to the cylinder and dial.

3. A combination according to claim 1, wherein each adjusting screw is rotatable by means of an operating knob, and means are provided for setting and holding the screw in any selected position to which it is turned.

4. A combination according to claim 1, wherein a lower plain portion of each adjusting screw is mounted to turn within a bearing in the lower horizontal flange of the relevant carrier ring section, and an upper plain portion of the said screw extends through and is keyed in a rotational sense to a sleeve which is turnable within a bearing in the upper horizontal flange of the said section, the upper end of the sleeve being furnished with an operating knob whereby the screw is manually turned.

5. A combination according to claim 4, wherein the sleeve associatd with each adjusting screw is free to slide to a limited extent up and down axially on the latter, and the lower end of such sleeve has provided on it a pinion arranged in mesh with a toothed ring common to all of the yarn feeding and controlling units, the arrangement being such that to effect an individual adjustment of the corresponding bearing block the "sleeve is first raised to disengage the pinion from the toothed ring.

6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein each adjusting screw has rigidly secured thereon a circumferentially grooved collar which is not only adapted to cooperate with a protuberant portion of a fixed supporting element attached to the corresponding carrier ring section, but also functions as a support for the relevant sleeve in its normal position, i.e. with its pinion in mesh with the toothed ring by means of which the corresponding bearing block is set in an adjusted position.

7. A combination according to claim 6, wherein the toothed ring common to all the pinions is turnable about the axis of the machine, by turning any one of the adjusting screws without first raising it, so that the said ring can be used as a common adjusting component to eifect collective adjustment of all the bearing blocks simultaneously, for the purpose specified.

8. In a knitting machine, in combination, a knitting head, a support for a plurality of yarn packages, a multiplicity of feeder stations at which yarn guides feed to the said knitting head yarns drawn from the packages, a plurality of self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units, one to each feeder station, each of said units comprising a rotary yarn feed wheel having a cylindrical yarn-supporting periphery covered with a silicone elastomer, a common driver component on the machine which component is rotatable at a speed related to the speed of the knitting machine, a drive-transmitting mechanism between said driver component and each of the feed wheels,'manually operable screws, one to each of the aforesaid units for changing the positions of the respective drive-transmitting mechanisms in relation to the driver component and thereby varying the speeds of rotation of the corresponding feed wheels whereby the speed of any one of said wheels can be individually adjusted independently of the speeds of the other wheels, and gearing comprising pinions on the screws and a common toothed member meshing with said pinions whereby, in addition to the possibility of adjusting the drive-transmitting mechanisms individually, all of the screws can be simultaneously operated, at desired times, by turning any one of them in such a way as to adjust the drive-transmitting mechanisms collectively, for the purpose herein described.

9. In a knitting machine, a combination according to claim 8, wherein the screws are furnished with operating knobs having combined therewith calibrated collars to facilitate both individual and collective adjustments of the drive-transmitting mechanisms, numbered calibrations on such collars being equally spaced apart to cor-,

respond with the pitch of the intermeshing teeth on the pinions and the common toothed member.

10. In a knitting machine, in combination, a knitting head, a support for a plurality of yarn packages, a multiplicity of feeder stations at which yarn guides feed to the said knitting head yarns drawn from the packages, a plurality of self-contained yarn feeding and controlling units, one to each feeder station, each of said units comprising a rotary yarn feed wheel having an outer side in a vertical plane and cylindrical yarn-supporting per-iphery covered with a slip-resisting matenial of a nature which exercises a grip on a yarn fed by the wheel to the relevant yarn guide and yet acts to prevent a loose end of such yarn from wrapping around said wheel, horizontal spindles upon which the feed wheels are secured, one spindle to each wheel, said spindles being individually adjustable heightwise, fixed yarn guiding means combined with each of the aforesaid units and so arranged relatively to the relevant feed wheel that a running yarn guided by the said means extends partially around said wheel en route from a yarn package to the knitting head, a friction disc having a plane face fitted upon each of the aforementioned feed 'wheel spindles, a common endless friction driving member which is arranged in contact with the plane faces of the friction discs of all of the units and is uni-directionally driven at a uniform speed by a part of the knitting machine, and manually operable means for efiecting individual heightwise adjustments of the spindles of the units whereby the radial distance between the axis of any one of the friction discs and the point of contact of such disc with the common driving member can be varied, for the purpose described.

11. A combination according to claim 10, wherein the spindles of the feed wheels are spring-influenced and urged axially in a direction to ensure that the friction discs are pressed yieldingly upon the common driving member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,111,984 Meiwald Mar. 22, 1938 2,542,816 Kent Feb. 20, 1951 2,917,914 Shortland Dec. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 767,535 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1957 

